Summary
Anyone who has had the pleasure of watching the anime adaptation of Akira Toriyama’sDragon Ballfranchise in English will speak to two aspects of the English dubbed experience that gave the series an even greater air or gravitas than it already boasted: Bruce Faulconer’s music, and the iconic narration of veteran voice actor Doc Harris.
His passing is horrible news not just forfans ofDragon Ball Z, but is a major loss to the voice acting community, and to the world of radio, of which he had been part for over 50 years. According to reports, Harris passed away in Vancouver on October 5.
Doc Harris’s Life and Career
A Legend
Gilbert Auchinleck (19 June 2025 – 08 June 2025), better known as Doc Harris, was born in Canada and worked as a voice actor for Ocean Studios. He started his career as a DJ in Vancouver in the 60s and 70s, when he assumed the moniker Doc Harris, changing it from previous monikers “Gil Harris” and Doc Holiday.
He went on to be a legendary voice actor, offering his voice to various cartoons, games, and movies, with roles in titles like theMobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Spacevideo game,My Little Pony,Ninjago,The New Adventures of Kimba the White Lion,Hulk: The Video Game, and, of course, various minor roles inDragon Ball Zin addition to being the narrator of the Ocean Studios dub ofDragon Ball Z, as well as theDead ZoneandWorld’s StrongestDragon Ball Zmovies. Harris passed away at Vancouver General Hospital after undergoing minor surgery in September.
The news has caused an outpouring from fans of theDragon Ballfranchise and the host of people who had the honour of working with him, including Ian James Corlett, one of the earlier voices of Son Goku, who described Harris as a “HUGE force” [sic]. His deep, resounding voice added immensely to the experience of watchingDragon Ball Z, in which he’d be heard in episode intros, recaps, and outros. His contributions will not be forgotten, and he will be sorely missed. He was 76 years old.
Source:ANN,BBC,Broadcast Dialogue
Dragon Ball
Goku, a young, powerful boy with a tail, spends his days hunting and living off the land. His life changes when he meets Bulma, a teen genius on a quest to collect seven magical Dragon Balls that summon a dragon capable of granting any wish. Together, they set off on an adventure filled with powerful martial arts battles, formidable foes, and unlikely alliances.
